The European Commission has approved two new Protected Designations of Origin — the Sümeg / Sümegi wine from Hungary and the Cigeľska prirodna mineralna voda mineral water from Slovakia.
The PDO label is an EU scheme that protects product names linked to a specific place and production method, the Commission said in a release on Wednesday.
Sümeg / Sümegi is a wine made in the Hungarian municipalities of Csabrendek, Sümeg and Sümegprága.
The white wines are described as having predominantly citrus notes, while the rosé and red wines have fruity aromas such as raspberry and blackberry.
Production must follow specific winemaking practices from harvesting through to maceration and ageing, and the grapes must be harvested by hand, the Commission said.
The wines are also described as having mineral notes linked to marine limestone bedrock in the area.
Mineral water from northern Slovakia
Cigeľska prirodna mineralna voda is a natural mineral water sourced in northern Slovakia near the border with Poland, the Commission said.
Soil and climate conditions in the area are cited as contributing to the water’s high mineral content and salty taste.
The water is sold in pharmacies and health shops because of its mineral composition.
Bottling is believed to have started around 1940, when demand was high in Slovakia and abroad.
The two names join more than 3,900 protected product names listed in the EU’s eAmbrosia geographical indications register.
